Shoreline Management Plans A Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) provides a large-scale assessment of the risks associated with coastal evolution and presents a policy framework to address these risks to people and the developed, historic and natural environment in a sustainable manner. In doing so, an SMP is a high-level document that forms an important part of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) strategy for flood and coastal defence (Defra, 2001).

Coastal map of East Anglian Strategies

The first round of SMPs has been completed and the plans are currently used to inform coastal flood and erosion management. The guidance on SMPs has been revised and the second generation of SMPs are under preparation.

(1) SMP 3a Review 2006/2008
SMP1: 3a Snettisham to Sheringham Oct-96
SMP2: Snettisham to Sheringham Winter 2006/07

(2) SMP 3b Review 2004 - the pilot version is currently in public consultation
SMP1: Sheringham to Lowestoft Oct-96
SMP2: Sheringham to Lowestoft Feb 2003 (Pilot SMP2) http://www.northnorfolk.org/acag/default_smp.html

(3) SMP 3c Review 2004/2006
SMP1: Lowestoft to Harwich Dec-97
SMP2: 3c Lowestoft to Harwich Summer 2005

(4) SMP 3d Review 2005/2007
SMP1: 3d Harwich to Canvey Island Apr-97
SMP2: 3d Harwich to Canvey Island Summer 2005 English Nature CHaMPS

Strategies and CHAMPs

Norfolk
North Norfolk Coastal Habitat Management Plan (CHaMP), 2003
The North Norfolk coast provides the only classic British example of a barrier beach system. The objectives of the North Norfolk CHaMP are to take a strategic overview of the consequences of long-term (30-100 year) predicted shoreline changes for the North Norfolk area on designated habitats and species. This will allow a long-term strategic view on the balance of losses and gains to habitats and species of European interest likely to result from sea level rise, and the flood and coastal defence response to it. The CHaMP will also develop a response to these losses and gains by informing the strategic direction for the conservation measures that are necessary to offset predicted losses. Suitable areas for habitat creation will be identified. The CHaMP also ensures flood and coastal defence options address the requirements of the Habitats and Birds Directives.

Winterton Dunes Coastal Habitat Management Plan (CHaMP), 2003
The Winterton Dunes CHaMP includes the following internationally designated sites and their constituent SSSIs: Winterton-Horsey Dunes cSAC and Great Yarmouth SPA. The objectives of this CHaMP are to take a strategic overview of the consequences of long-term (30-100 year) predicted shoreline changes for the Winterton area on designated habitats and species. This will identify a long-term strategic view on the balance of losses and gains to habitats and species of European interest likely to result from sea level rise, and the flood and coastal defence response to it. The CHaMP will develop a response to these losses and gains by informing the strategic direction for the conservation measures that are necessary to offset predicted losses. Finally, suitable areas for new habitats that may need to be created are identified. The CHaMP will also make recommendations to the relevant Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) and flood and coastal defence strategies to ensure flood and coastal defence options address the requirements of the Habitats and Birds Directives.

Suffolk
Suffolk Coast and Estuaries Coastal Habitat Management Plan (CHaMP), 2002
The Suffolk CHaMP provides a summary of the best available information regarding changes in geomorphology and the shoreline over the next 50 years, as a result of climate change and associated sea-level rise. This document also provides an analysis of how these changes impact on features of European nature conservation importance and establishes measures to mitigate or compensate for the loss of important habitats and species. The CHaMP also suggests that changes in the extent and distribution of habitats of European importance is inevitable, regardless of the coastal defence approaches adopted (i.e. allow natural processes to proceed or adopt any form of intervention.

(5) Suffolk Estuarine Strategies, 2007
The Environment Agency is responsible for managing the flood risk arising from rivers and the sea, in many areas. Prompted by growing concern over several areas in Suffolk that are susceptible to flooding, the Environment Agency has commissioned the development of a long-term strategy to manage the flood defences for three of the Suffolk Estuaries : the Blyth , the Alde and Ore and the Deben .

The flood defences within the Suffolk estuaries have been built and maintained over many years in order to protect farmland and communities against flooding from the sea.
Certain sections of the flood defences are coming to the end of their current life, with some needing to be replaced over the next few years. Additionally, the threat of future global warming and rising sea levels may increase the risk of flooding if flood defences are not improved. Concerns over the potential damage to businesses, homes, farms, recreation, tourism and important wildlife habitats adjacent to the estuaries prompted the Environment Agency to commission the development of the Suffolk Estuarine Flood Management Strategies.

The Suffolk Estuarine Flood Management Strategies will be developed on a river-by-river basis starting with the Blyth followed by the Alde-Ore Estuary and ending with the Deben Estuary.

(6) Lowestoft to Thorpeness Strategy, 2003
This strategy builds on the information contained in the Harwich to Lowestoft SMP. It includes extensive coastal process modelling to inform the understanding of coastal geomorphology and recommends specific management actions as well as general policies. This strategy will inform the second generation of SMPs and prioritise options for coastal defence.

(7) Thorpeness to Hollesley Strategy, 2006
The Thorpeness to Hollesley Strategy Plan will assess the historical long-term evolution of the coast between Thorpeness and Hollesley, assess the impact of these changes on nature conservation interests, terrestrial assets and the socio-economic context of the study area. It will also identify objectives and a long list of options for coastal management within the study area which are technically, economically, and environmentally acceptable.

(8) Hollesley to Bawdsey Sea Defences Strategy, 2000
The Hollesley to Bawdsey Sea Defences Strategy was developed to expand on issues considered within the Shoreline Management Plan ( SMP ) for Sediment Sub-Cell 3c ( Lowestoft to Harwich) and to address the future management of the frontage between Hollesley and Bawdsey for the 75 year lifespan of the SMP . The strategy examines the way in which material moves along the frontage and examines the evolution of the coast. The preferred policy for the frontage is 'Hold the Line' between Shingle Street and East Lane , and between Bawdsey Manor and North Felixstowe .

(9) North Felixstowe Coastal Strategy
The Strategy identified that the behaviour of the North Felixstowe frontage is strongly linked to the pattern of behaviour of the Knolls at the entrance to the Deben Estuary. At times these banks provide protection against direct wave action and influence sediment drift along the frontage. These banks also regulate the supply of material to beaches to the south.

The preferred strategy is to Hold the Line through maintaining and improving the existing defences. The Strategy also recommends that the existing groynes are improved by adding rock at their seaward end.

(9) Central Felixstowe Coastal Strategy, 2005
The adopted Shoreline Management Plan (SMP) for the Suffolk coast from Lowestoft to Harwich was completed in May 1998 and identified generic policy options for coastal defence throughout this frontage. The Strategy Plan covers the section of coast between Jacobs Ladder and the War Memorial. The strategy builds on the information gathered in the SMP by examining the issues in more detail and in the context of specific strategy options, and follows on from the Southern Felixstowe Coastal Strategy study. In particular, the strategy is much more detailed, includes extensive coastal process modelling to better inform the understanding of coastal geomorphology, and recommends specific management actions as well as general policies. It will also assist in prioritising individual coastal defence schemes.

Essex
Essex Coast and Estuaries Coastal Habitat Management Plan (CHaMP), 2002
The Essex CHaMP provides a long-term strategic view on how the balance of losses and gains to habitats and species of European interest (particularly intertidal and freshwater habitats in the coastal zone) can be maintained in the light of rising sea levels, and the flood defence response to it. The CHaMP concluded that the estuaries cannot be maintained in their present form. Maintaining the present levels of flood defences will lead to the loss of significant areas of salt marsh by 2050. It was recognised that ecological change is inevitable due to changes in the distribution and extent of habitats under a sea level rise scenario.

Essex Sea Wall Strategy, 1998
The Essex Sea Wall Strategy was undertaken to ensure that the flood defences on the estuaries and open coast of Essex are managed in an integrated manner. The strategy was developed to look at the economic viability of the existing defences within each of a series of sectors of the shoreline, to address the environmental issues and habitat creation options, to review the requirements for hydraulic modelling and to identify areas where capital improvement works may be worthwhile.

(10)Essex Estuarine Strategies, 2008
There are several areas in Essex that are becoming increasingly susceptible to flooding. The Environment Agency has therefore commissioned the development of long-term strategies for flood management in the Essex Estuaries : the Roach and Crouch, Blackwater and Colne, the Stour and Orwell, and Hamford Water. These projects are known as the "Essex Estuarine Strategies". These flood management strategies are being developed on an estuary by estuary basis starting with the Roach and Crouch and ending with Hamford Water.

With sea levels expected to rise over the next 100 years, and with areas of land behind the current defences several metres lower than the normal high water in the estuary, steps must be taken to ensure that the response to changes in the risk of flooding is appropriate. The production of a flood management strategy will enable us to manage the potential impacts that natural change will bring and also allow opportunities associated with such change to be identified at a strategic level.

Thames 2100
(11) Thames Estuary 2100, 2008
The Thames Estuary 2100 (TE2100) is a joint project initiative from the Southern, Anglian and Thames Regions of the Environment Agency to produce a long-term strategy for flood risk management in the Thames Estuary. The TE2100 project will produce a series of interim outputs leading up to delivery of a draft strategy in 2008.